JD(U) rift wide open: Sharad Yadav says he is still with Mahagathbandhan

In a display of defiance against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, senior JD-U leader and former party president Sharad Yadav on Thursday declared he was still with the Grand Alliance of the RJD and Congress.

"The path that Sharad Yadav has chosen leads to the RJD", said KC Tyagi today, pointing out that Mr Yadav has not once commented on the corruption charges against Lalu Yadav and his family that led Nitish Kumar to end their alliance.

Meanwhile, reports are coming that the faction unhappy with the Chief Minister's decision headed by Yadav - the second-most prominent face in the party - is deliberating over expelling their president Nitish Kumar. Sharad Yadav who had been representing Nitish in all opposition's formal and informal meetings also felt betrayed by Nitish.

The veteran socialist leader added, "It is probably for the first time in country's 70-year-old democratic history that two parties or alliances, which fought against each other with separate manifestos, later came together with combined manifesto".

He said the people's mandate was insulted due to break-up of grand alliance.

JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav talks over phone at his residence, in New Delhi on Thursday.

Without naming Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav said: "The decision to join hands with the BJP and form a government in Bihar was against the mandate given in the 2015 assembly polls against the BJP-led NDA".

The 70-year-old Yadav, now a sitting MP of JD (U) in Rajya Sabha, reached Patna amid a rousing welcome by hundreds of his supporters-both JD (U) and RJD workers.

"I was one of those who asked the people to vote for the Grand Alliance".

He arrived at the airport here to embark on a three-day tour during which he would hold "direct dialogue" with the people over breaking of the JD (U)-RJD-Congress coalition and formation of the JD (U)-BJP alliance government. Sources said instructions have been issued to JD (U) functionaries not to participate in Sharad's yatra to avoid disciplinary action.

"I continue to stand for the "Gathbandhan" (Grand Alliance)", he said. Even on way to Muzaffarpur, he was received by Sonepur RJD MLA and other RJD leaders at different places.

The JD (U) warned Yadav to exercise restraint. "The man, who has made Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi and Misa Bharti as his icons, should also explain why he quit when he was charged in Hawala scam", the JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, considered a close Nitish aide, was unsparing in his attack on Sharad.

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